biking

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Pay Attention To The Conditions You Find Yourself In

Sometimes we don’t pay attention to the conditions around us and end up paying a price for it.

pay attention to the conditions you find yourself in

This happened to me the other day when I was biking. I didn’t consider the conditions I was riding in and it cost me. 

We all have experienced unstable conditions when we are walking, driving or just enjoying the great outdoors.

When there is ice, or the possibility of black ice, we know we need to be careful walking along a sidewalk or driving on the road. Driving conditions can change with the weather, so often there are signs like “Slippery When Wet” that remind us to pay attention.

When a floor has been mopped in a store or a mall, there is often a “Caution” sign left behind to remind us to carefully make our way forward, paying attention to the conditions before us.

That is just common sense. But …

Sometimes we fail to pay attention to a sign or notice the conditions we are in and that is why we have TV shows like “Funniest Home Videos” or “Fail Army”. We laugh and/or cringe when someone falls down a slippery step and groceries go flying everywhere.

You have to know the conditions and be careful to proceed appropriately.

The other day when I was mountain biking, the trails were very wet from the previous day’s downpour. Not only was the trail itself slippery with puddles in strategic places, there were also exposed roots and rocks that became very treacherous.  

My friend went down a few times while negotiating a corner or two. 

For the most part, I was being careful.

A couple of times I felt my bike start to slide out from under me, but I was able to regain my balance and keep the wheels underneath me. I really had to pay attention and stay focussed on the conditions. 

It was going pretty well until I got near the end of the ride where there’s a large downhill section that is basically like a ski slope mogul run with high banked corners at every turn.

To start this downhill run, you drop off onto a banked turn made of wood. 

When I got there I forgot everything and just went after that bank. 

What I didn’t consider was that the wood would be all wet and slippery. … I went down hard, scraping my elbow and bruising my forearm, my palm and my leg. 

My shoulder and helmet hit the bank and I slid down right by a puddle of water at the bottom of the turn.

It took just a second or two of forgetting about the conditions to leave me shaking the cobwebs from my head and picking up all my paraphernalia that had gone flying.

I was okay to finish the ride, but I was a little achy the next day.

Here’s the thing: There are indications all around us that conditions are changing. The world is changing politically, and it’s changing environmentally as well. All these conditions are foretold in the Bible, written between two and four thousand years ago. It’s like a sign that says “Dangerous Road Ahead”. We would do well to check what the Bible says we should do to pay attention to the conditions. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What conditions do you need to pay more attention to right now? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Do Something You Have Been Meaning To Do

Sometimes you just can’t get yourself to do something you want to do.

Do something you have been meaning to do

… You can call it procrastination or lack of motivation, and maybe it is a bit of both. I like to call it “ready to move on”. 

Often something new has grabbed my attention or interest and, as much as I want to do that first thing, I also want to get on to the next thing.

Back in the spring I shot some video with my drone and GoPro camera of me biking at our cottage. It was early spring so the leaves on the trees weren’t fully developed and last year’s leaves were still covering much of the trailers. 

After getting all the shots I wanted, I was looking forward to putting the video together. It was going to require a fair bit of editing but I was good at that. In my editing programs, I selected the clips I wanted and started to cut them down and put them in order. 

I still needed to add music and make sure the colouring was similar between the cameras’ footage. But while I was still working on all that, I shot more video and got kind of excited about putting those shots together. 

I wanted to finish my first video but I was now drawn to the next project.  

It’s like the kids who are in the cottage next to us. They have every toy you can imagine … and most of them are displayed all over their lawn. 

Some of those toys just sit there and don’t move for days or weeks, not because the kids don’t like them any more. They just have so many toys that some get neglected. 

Those kids are excited about their newest toy or another toy that has caught their attention. The toys on the lawn just have to take a number and wait before they will get used again.

Well, that was the same with my video. It’s now the middle of the summer and I still haven’t finished it. … So yesterday I forced myself back to editing. 

I started when it was light out and when I looked up I was in darkness except for the glow of light coming off my computer monitor. I had gotten right back into this video that I wanted to make like it was the only thing I wanted to do. 

After getting back at it, I wasn’t ready to move on; I was ready to complete the project. 

I wish I could say I did complete the video, but I’m not quite satisfied with the music. I’m going to have to take another crack at it before I’m ready to move on. It’s close though, so maybe I can start my new project tomorrow.

That reminds me, I need to get out and shoot more video which may delay my next video edits. 

At least I’ll be ready.

Here’s the thing: There’s no end to things that can stand in the way of us doing what we want to do, like getting to know God more or exploring who He is. We might have a desire to discover more about God, but there are always other things we want to do and so we may never get to it. You just have to be intentional about discovering God. Once you start, you will find you get right into it. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What is something you need to force yourself back into? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Letting Go And Moving On Isn’t Always Best

When the season changes, letting go of some things and move on to other things is pretty normal.

Letting go and moving on isn't always best

Certainly that’s true with the NHL hockey playoffs. My team is now out and they’re down to four teams. The weather is getting nicer, there are bigger breaks between games and it seems like the playoffs are just dragging on. 

I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before but my daughter was born the night Calgary won the Stanley Cup back in 1989. That was May 25. Now 34 years later we have another month before a team will walk away with the cup.

I’m ready to watch golf Sunday afternoons and not be glued to a TV Saturday nights for the next four weeks.

It’s light outside for longer in the evenings; there is more to do outside in the summer. I’d really be happy if hockey season was over. 

There are so many other things that can take its place – things you can’t do in the winter months.

For me there is golf. I’m looking forward to playing more this season than I have in the past number of years. In fact, I’m playing this weekend which I’m quite excited for.

I’ve also started mountain biking again. I’ve already been out several times. It’s always interesting to bike the trails when the leaves haven’t fully come out yet. You see the trails differently from when everything is lush with colour. I like this transition time.

There are other things as well, like getting to the cottage. 

We spent the last week puttering around Sauble Beach. Though it was too cold to go in the water, it didn’t stop Lily and I from going for a 10 km walk along the beach at sundown. Our first sunset of the season and it certainly didn’t disappoint. 

… I will say our legs were a little rubbery when we got back to the cottage. 

New seasons are for letting some things go while picking new things up. However, this year I’m a little sad to let one thing go. 

Next week will be my last hockey game until fall. Yes, I said I was ready to let hockey go, but I meant watching hockey on TV. 

Other years I was also glad when I stopped playing. This year, however, it’s different. I’m sad it’s coming to an end even though I’ve played more hockey this year than I have in a long, long time. 

From February to the middle of April I played 4 to 5 times a week. Since then I’ve played on average twice a week. You might think I’ve had my fill, but I would still like to play a little in the off-season.

It’s a satisfying feeling showing up to a cold arena in shorts and sandals, hockey bag slung over your shoulder. It’s hard to describe, but the contrasts put a smile on my face.

So this year it will be hard to let go until the seasons change again.

Here’s the thing: I’ve been thinking that sometimes we let go of speaking up for God. The world doesn’t want to hear it; there is pressure to keep silent. But I was reminded in my time with God this morning that every voice matters. Whether it’s a quiet voice to a few people or through a new medium, God wants us to keep speaking up for Him. There are many other voices that seek to drown Him out, but as for me, I want to keep my voice being heard. I don’t want to let go of speaking of God’s love and goodness to us all. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you want to hang on to in this new season of life? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Why You Should Think Hard Before Getting A Tattoo

This is a repost of an article I wrote back in 2014. Hope you enjoy.

The other day I went biking and found a few wet spots on the trails. Once home, I took my socks off and was drawn to the contrast between the tattoo-like pattern on my legs and my lily-white feet. 

why you should think hard before getting a tattoo

Besides the fact that my feet are in serious need of a tan, the pattern of the mud on my legs got me thinking about what I would look like with some body art on my legs. 

I’ve seen people who try to cover much of their body with tattoos and sometimes I wonder, maybe they should have gone biking first to get an idea of what it would look like if it were permanent.

… you know, before it’s there for the rest of your days.  

In my town there’s a tattoo place called “No Regrets – tattoo and removal”. They will put a permanent tattoo on you but if you change your mind, they can take a laser to you and remove it. 

I still think it’s better to think through the whole thing very carefully before you take the plunge in the first place. 

In my mind, I think it would be profitable for people not just to think how cool it would be to have some tattoo on their skin now, but to think what they might want 20 or 40 years from now. 

You know when you’re about 70, your skin will get quite wrinkly and that once great looking tat of your ex-girlfriend right at the top of your shoulder will have stretched to cover the greater part of your upper arm! 

Or that tattoo on your muscular chest that was a testimony to your love for your wife Mandy, now with your flab and folding skin, sometimes reads “I love you Man” when you sit a certain way.

There is something to say about those lick’em stick’em tattoos that we would get as kids. Moms didn’t really like them but at least they were coming off in a few days. And if Mom really didn’t like them she could scrub that part harder at bath time.

I’m just saying that doing something permanent should be thought out thoroughly so that you don’t have to find some guy who has a laser in his back room and is eager to use it on you.

For myself, I liked the fact that I could have my picture taken looking like I had just come back from “NY Ink” or “Don’t Tell Momma’s Tattoos” only to slip into the shower and remove it all with a little soap and water.

I got a little scraped up on my ride that day but those markings too will go away in a week. Two years ago at Christmas I bough the whole family fake arm tattoos (you can read that blog here), I enjoyed wearing my tattoos for a day but I can’t say that I’ve put the sleeve on since.

Permanent is a long time; it should require lots of thought and consideration before you make something permanent.

Here’s the thing: Considering a relationship with Christ is not something that should be done lightly. It is, after all, a permanent decision. It should be weighed and considered carefully because you, like Jesus Himself, will bear the marks for the rest of your life. I believe those marks are worth bearing.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What permanent thing have you done that you’ve had second thoughts about since?  I’d love to hear from you; leave your comment below.

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The Signs Led To Quite A Ride

You can’t alway anticipate how things are going to go, but you should read the signs. Sometimes they tell you to take a different approach or change your plan. 

the signs led to quite a ride

The other day I didn’t read the signs – or should I say, I just ignored the signs – and that made for a very interesting event. 

I went for a bike ride and was looking forward to trying a new section of the trails I ride. I had heard that this new section had some tough features on it – lots of loose rock and off-camber paths.

It’s early in the year, I’ve only ridden twice so far, I’m still out of shape but, hey, what could go wrong? 

I had already gone to the bike store and picked up some new cleats for my shoes after noticing that my shoes have unclipped from my pedals at unexpected times. 

With my new gear I drove to my mountain biking club, “The Farm”. And here is where I kind of ignored the signs. 

When I got out of my car I realized I didn’t have my padded biking shorts on. I had forgotten to put them on and just put my shell shorts on. … I had thought they were a little loose fitting; now I knew why.

I had a decision to make: do I forget about my ride, change my ride to a shorter, simpler route, or continue on with my plans to ride the new section? 

I decided to continue on. 

This proved to be a mistake on several levels. 

About 7 kms into the ride, my chain broke. I could have backtracked and walked my bike the 7 kms back to my car, but I had a replacement chainlink with me. 

I decided to fix my chain and complete my ride which was about 11 more kms.

It took me a while to put the chain back together … I had to remember how to restring the chain around my sprocket cassettes and the rear derailleur.

As I was trying to snap the link into place, I gashed the back of my hand on the front sprocket.

I had no bandages with me so I poured a little water on my hand and shoved my glove on before it started bleeding again. 

Those new cleats I bought earlier worked great, but a couple of times on some rocky terrain, I didn’t clip out in time and fell, scraping my left arm. 

And riding without biking shorts, well, I have a new appreciation for them and it’s not because they make riding easier on your butt … but that’s all I’ll say about that. 

I did make it all the way around. It’s a great trail, but I think I’ll get into better shape before I ride it again.

Here’s the thing: There are lots of signs that we don’t have unlimited time left on this earth – perpetual tension in the Middle East, increased natural disasters, climate change, and now a virus that’s different from any other. World troubles like these were written about in the Bible. The Bible even says that near the end people will have to take a mark in order to buy basic things, and now it’s easy to see how that could come about. These signs, and many others, are to help us make wise decisions for how to prepare for what will come. Jesus came and died for your sins to prepare you for all that will happen, including your death. Read the signs and place your faith in Jesus Christ. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What sign have you ignored lately? Leave your comments and questions below.

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I Fell Asleep In The Middle Of Thinking

The other day I fell asleep trying to think of something to write about. 

I fell asleep in the middle of thinking

I can understand this happening if it was 10:30 p.m. and the room was dark. Sure, anyone could fall asleep while thinking in that kind of environment.

But I fell asleep about an hour after I had gotten out of bed, having had seven hours of sleep … and the sun was shining through the windows.

“That’s pretty sad; he must be getting old”, you are probably thinking. 

Well, I have had a history of falling asleep in all sorts of places and conditions. 

I remember one time biking with a couple of friends to a campsite. We got there late in the afternoon but something spooked one of the guys, so at about 3:00 a.m. we headed back. 

I heard wolves in the distance as we rode and at one point got chased by a dog. We finally made it to some semblance of civilization by about 5:00 a.m.  

We were hungry but the restaurant we found didn’t open until 6:00 a.m. So we sat down on the sidewalk to wait. 

I put my head back on the cold, grey slab of cement and I was gone. 

The boys woke me up and, by the time I shook the cobwebs out of my head, they were half way across the parking lot. 

It doesn’t matter the surface or the environment, I can sleep pretty easily anywhere. 

The other day I saw a video of a little bulldog puppy who fell asleep sitting up and then fell over.

I’m kind of like that now. 

Before I had my heart attack nine years ago, I would get a little tired after lunch. But since my heart attack, the lull after lunch has become a major issue for me.

I had to rearrange my schedule. Then I replaced quiet activities like reading or heavy thinking with meetings and visits and things that would require me to be more active. 

I even got a stand up desk because, unlike that bulldog puppy, I have never fallen asleep standing up. 

… But give me something to lean up against and I can get close.

The other day when I fell asleep thinking, it was because it’s so hard to come up with an idea. I need something to happen in my life. My life is too predicable. 

I will admit, though, that I enjoyed my nap at 8:00 a.m. 

And one thing I do know, if it’s difficult to think of something to write about when there is nothing going on in my life, it is impossible to think of something to write about when I am sleeping. 

Here’s the thing: Life just seems to roll on day by day. As with COVID, where we are anticipating an end, but every day there is nothing to indicate the end is coming, one day Christ will return. There are many people who don’t think about making decisions now for what seems to be way down some distant path. We kind of fall asleep in the present. Let me encourage you to make a decision to put your faith in Christ now because when you go to sleep for the last time, you won’t be able to think about doing it then.

That’s Life!

Paul 

Question: What do you have trouble thinking about these days? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Losing Is Not An Option

I don’t like losing things. Maybe that’s why I keep my things close to me. 

I’m not the kind of person who puts my keys down on a table. I don’t pull my wallet out of my pocket unless I’m paying for something … and now that I use my watch for many transactions, I don’t even have to pull the wallet out that much.

I know where my things are so I don’t have to look for them. 

But there are times when things get misplaced, or you do something you don’t normally do and forget where you put that thing.  

Fortunately, in those circumstance, I’m pretty good at remembering my last steps. Usually within a minute or two of tracing my steps I can find what I’ve lost. 

I know people who are always putting their keys or wallet down and, as a result, are regularly looking for them.

Some people are not good at remembering where they put things, or they’re not very observant and don’t see things right in front of them. 

I remember when my sister was young, I could ask her to get something that was in the middle of a room and she would come back empty-handed. She’d say she couldn’t find it, and then I’d go into the room and locate it right away.

The other day, however, I was biking and lost my bike computer. I was surprised because this watch-sized computer locks very securely onto my bike. 

The biggest hindrance to finding it was that I didn’t know exactly where I’d lost it. I hadn’t noticed it was gone right away and when I did, well, let’s just say I’d covered more than several kilometres of trail.

And that’s the other thing … it’s not like it was on a road, or a clear surface. I ride on trails that are uneven, hard-packed dirt, covered with leaves, twigs and the like. It would have been easy for the computer to even bounce off the trail and be covered by foliage. 

I remembered hitting the end of my handlebar hard against a rock cliff outcropping that gave me a good jolt. Maybe it was there that the computer came off. 

I spent an hour going back very slowly over the trail but didn’t find it. 

A few years ago, I had lost a fitbit off my shorts while biking and never found it either. I figured that this computer would be the same, that I’d never see it again. 

Then, three days later someone posted on the bike club’s facebook page that he found it. 

Like finding a needle in a haystack, somehow this guy found my bike computer. Obviously he had greater observation powers than my sister.

I still don’t like losing things, but now I have a second chance with this little gizmo.

Here’s the thing: Sometimes we can lose our way, get off track, and not know how to get back. We are lost. Never forget that no matter how lost you feel, how far from God you have become separated, He doesn’t stop coming after us. God never loses sight of us and if you will stop where you are and look, you will be found by Him. What has caused you to lose your way? Give it up; confess it. He will pick you up and you will find your way.

That’s Life,

Paul

Question: Is there something that’s gotten you off track? Leave your comments below.

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How A New Part Makes The Whole Thing Seem New

It’s always nice to find a new trail to ride. It’s not like the old ones get boring, but a fresh path is always welcomed.

When I’m at home, every week I ride the same trails. I mix and match between about five of them. But as a general rule, there is just one trail that I usually ride. Part of the reason is time. The home loop at my mountain bike club takes me about 45 – 50 minutes to ride which is perfect. All the other trails take a little to a lot longer to ride. 

Riding the same trail isn’t boring because I always try to beat my best time. The woods are also beautiful with a new scene to take in at every turn.

But when I get a chance to ride something new, it’s always a thrill. 

Up at my cottage, I’ve been riding the same trails for about ten years. Some are more like skidoo or ATV trails than mountain biking trails – they’re wider and less technical … but on the upside, they flow really well.

I have been riding these paths to get me to some single track trails that are made for mountain biking. In some places I even have to ride on the road to get to the good trails.  

It’s not perfect, but it’s better than nothing. 

Last year I almost ran into another biker on the trails. It was the first time in years I’d seen someone else in the woods. For years I’d felt like I was the only mountain biker in the area, but recently I’ve noticed signs that there are other riders using the trails.

It was also last year that I discovered a new trail and, because of it, I changed my route. I even got adventurous and built a short connector trail to link up the far end of my loop with the main trail. 

Well, yesterday while riding at my cottage, I found another trail. This trail means I can now avoid more roads and spend less time on the wide snowmobile and ATV paths.

It won’t be long until this new section of trail is old hat, just a regular part of my loop – by the end of this season I will have ridden it more than twenty times. But right now it’s exciting to pedal hard through a section that I don’t know very well.

It’s kind of like getting a new accessory for a product you’ve had for a while. When you get that new piece it makes the whole thing seem fresh and original again. 

This is shaping up to be a good biking season. (Want to see the trail? Click here.)

Here’s the thing: I have my set time every day when I do my Bible reading, journalling and prayer. I even have a certain place in the house where I like to spend that time. There is a lot of sameness to my meeting with God, but it’s not boring. But every once in a while I change something: I find a new place to meet with God, add different devotional readings, or take time to ask the Lord some very specific questions and wait on Him to answer. These new things I do just make my experience with God fresh and original again. Try something new – it will make a good time with God great again. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What gets you excited about new things? Leave your comments below.

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I Just Finished Three Weeks Of Ribs

I thought it would take a week, but it’s taken three weeks for my ribs to feel better.

Usually when I get hurt, a week will do it and I’m back to normal – but not this time.

Three weeks ago I had a nasty fall off my bike and bruised some ribs (read here). I naturally thought I would be back on my bike in a week.

It’s taken a lot longer!

In that time I’ve slept mostly in another bed; in that time, I also had a short bout with a cold. But all the while I still managed to get a half hour of exercise in each day.

A couple of years ago we got a new mattress. Lily preferred an extra firm one, whereas I liked one that had some cushion to it. … It turns out that a firm bed isn’t so great when your ribs are sore.

I ended up spending a few nights on the couch because it was so much softer. Then I moved to our spare bedroom. That bed has a memory foam topper, which used to reside on our old mattress.

Wow, I’d forgotten how nice it was to sleep on that thing! Even with wrecked ribs, it was so nice to sink into it again.

… I think I stayed there an extra night before I moved back to our bed.

The cold I got was unappreciated, and it came courteous of Lily. She had picked up a cold about a week into my rib ordeal and hacked all the way home from our cottage – that’s five hours of recirculating germs flying around the car while I was trapped inside.

How could I not catch something?

But man, did I ever pay for it! With every cough I needed to hold onto my ribs for stability.

And sneezing – that was the worst. It felt like my heart was on fire, and the burning in my chest resonated for about ten seconds after each sneeze.

It was a good thing that cold was short-lived.

The only setback I had – other than sleeping in my own bed the first couple of nights – was one exercise session.

I found that riding my stationary bike didn’t really hurt my sore ribs. It’s mostly a leg workout and I could always bike hands-free when I felt some pain from stretching out to hold on to the handlebars.

It was the treadmill that was the killer. I got back on it way too soon. I started slowly and at first it wasn’t too bad. But by the end, I was holding my ribs because they felt like they were bouncing around inside me – not good.

… That’s all in the past now. It’s been three weeks to the day and I’m not only pain free walking on the treadmill (even jogging), but I just pulled off ten minutes on the rowing machine.

Today, I’m going back to the trails and hopefully I’ll stay on my bike this time.

Here’s the thing:  For many of us, staying consistent at something is not easy. There are all kinds of things that can disrupt even the best routine. When our routine of spending time with God is interrupted, we can get discouraged, frustrated to the point of giving up. Don’t give in to defeat; don’t dwell on the interruption, whatever the cause. Get back to your time with God; with Him you can pick up again like it was yesterday.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What unexpected thing has interrupted a routine you need to get back to? Leave your comments below.

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It Was The Worst Or The Best – You Be The Judge

I crashed my bike the other day and it was either the worst or the best crash of the year.

I usually have a number of crashes to pick from in determining my most spectacular crash. This one rated up there. The bike was alright, but my body suffered a little more than usual.

On the trail I was riding, there is a section that goes right through a corn field. It’s pretty cool riding along a 4-foot wide trail with walls of corn about 6 1/2 feet high on either side of you. Your elbows slap the sheaves of corn as you ride through this gauntlet.

On one bend in the trail, I took it a little fast and maybe a bit wide. I got too close to the stocks and, before I knew it, I spilled all over the place.

I hit my head on the ground; I think I bounced at least once. I had the wind knocked out of me, so I gasped to get my breath back.

And, oh ya, I was sore.

The thing is all I could think about was the guy gearing up to go biking when I had set out. I figured he would be coming along at any moment. I was hidden by the corn and a curve in the trail so I could see an even bigger crash looming.

The only thing I could think of to do was what you do when you get hit in hockey: get up fast and try to make it look like you’re not hurt.

I was aching and still a little dazed but I kind of flopped on my bike and started riding.

By the time I got out of the corn I didn’t think of checking to see if I was okay. My head cleared and the pain had subsided.

I just rode on.

As I continued on the trail, I kept thinking, “I’m going to be sore tomorrow.”

I was right about being sore, but wrong about the timing! I started feeling really sore on the drive back, and by the time I got home I was not moving very well.

The ground where I had fallen was like cement and, in talking to a guy who farms, I learned that the corn sucks everything out of the soil.

I’ve felt sidewalks that have more give to them than the spot where I fell!

I figured I had bruised some ribs, and though my wife and daughter think I might have cracked a few, I’m holding to my diagnosis.

I talked to a friend who said cracked ribs can take 6-8 weeks to heal … I definitely don’t have that kind of time to give to the healing process.

Here’s the thing: Depending on how you look at something difficult, it can either be the worst or the best. My fall may have been my worst crash this year, but certainly not my worst crash ever. I could also look at it as the best crash this year, the most spectacular because it was a big crash but I walked away from it. In your life, God can give you the right perspective to have when going through difficult or troubled times. Look to Him – what you’re going through could be the worst, or maybe it’s the best.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How has God helped you see the positive in difficult times? Leave your comments below.